It's a shame as aside from deaths and cures, there were some great potential elements there that could have made a solid 3rd & 4th sequel in the current continuity before being forced to go into the past. A definitive Dark Phoenix story in X3 where that would be the focus of the entire film. And then an X4 Cure/Return of Magneto with Brotherhood army story with no Phoenix distraction that could have justified the introduction of the X-Men not yet covered like Gambit, Angel & Psylocke (as team members), the return of Nightcrawler and more Kelsey Beast.